


Coming Home To You (Every Night, Every Night)

by Ricechex



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Fluffy, Happy feels I can write them, Look look I can write happy, M/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-26
Updated: 2013-08-26
Packaged: 2017-12-24 17:19:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/942534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ricechex/pseuds/Ricechex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><a href="http://psychopudding.tumblr.com/">psychopudding</a> sent me:</p><p>"It’s not necessarily a prompt but I think a fic based on Every Night by Imagine Dragons would be really good for McKirk."</p><p>And the idea sort of... popped in my brain. Something a bit sweet and fluffy to counteract the angst and sads that permeates most of my writing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coming Home To You (Every Night, Every Night)

_This is it_ , Jim thought. _I’m going home_.

He placed his thumb on the PADD, signed in the appropriate spots with the stylus, and shook the hands of at least seven admirals.

“You’ll be missed, Captain.”

He smiled. “Thank you, sir.” He looked around the conference room and swallowed against the sudden lump in his throat. “Feels good, though - feels right.” He looked back at the admiral - Reynolds, he thought, though he wasn’t certain, and it didn’t much matter now anyways - and smiled one more time.

Admiral Reynolds nodded. “If you don’t mind me asking, where are you going now?”

Jim’s hand went to his pocket, fingertips playing over the object he’d stashed away in there.

“I’m going _home_ , Admiral.”

 

* * *

 

The shuttle from San Francisco to Atlanta seemed to take forever, even though objectively Jim knew it wasn't taking any longer than it would normally. His rental car was - blessedly - ready when he arrived, and he punched in the address he had, happy to let the computer tell him when to turn and how to get there. Of course, without the need to focus on directions, his mind had a lot of time to think about what he was doing now. He was certain it was the right choice, absolutely certain that this was what he wanted. Bones would argue - because Bones always argued - but Jim was convinced.

Now all he had to do was convince Bones, too.

He pulled up to the old farmhouse he remembered from shore leave, and smiled. It didn't look much different than the last time he'd been here - a fresher coat of paint, and new windows, but otherwise, it was exactly the same. He took a deep breath, and got out of the car.

The stairs up to the porch still creaked when he stepped on them. He avoided the loose board, smiling as he saw the old doorbell he remembered.

He heard Bones moving through the house, calling out, "Just a minute." One more deep breath, one more second to lick his lips and run his hand through his hair and-

The door opened, and Bones stood there, the smile on his face dropping slowly as the shock hit him. "Jim?"

Jim grinned. "Hey Bones."

The screen door opened, and Jim dodged it just in time, straightening up only to be pulled into a tight hug. He laughed and threw his arms around Bones, let his head fall onto Bones' shoulder and let himself inhale the scent that was absolutely unmistakable.

"It's really you." Bones' voice was soft as he pulled back enough to look Jim in the eyes again.

Jim nodded once. "It's really me."

Bones stared at him a moment longer, and then he was kissing him, lips pressed hard against Jim's and hands cupping his cheeks, moving to twist his fingers in Jim's hair, and every concern Jim had had evaporated under the feeling of  _his Bones_ kissing him like he might never get another chance.

"I missed you."

Jim chuckled against Bones' lips. "Would never have guessed."

 

* * *

 

Bones's home was only slightly different than the last time Jim had seen it. There were a few more pictures on the wall - the two of them at the academy, out with friends on shore leave, and even some of them working on  _Enterprise_ \- interspersed among the pictures of Bones' family - parents, grandparents, cousins and aunts and uncles. There were fewer knick-knacks, but more paper books, which made Jim smile. The couch was still old and dusty, but comfortable as they lounged on it talking before dinner. Bones's smiled more than Jim remembered him doing before, laughed louder than Jim remembered, and seemed genuinely  _happier_ than he'd ever been on  _Enterprise_.

"So what brings you out here, anyway?" Bones twirled some spaghetti onto his fork and took a bite, watching Jim as he chewed.

Jim licked his lips and stared at his plate. "Actually... you do." He looked back up to see Bones raise an eyebrow.

"Didn't think you had shore leave coming up for at least another three months..."

Jim shrugged. "Maybe I requested early leave?"

Bones shook his head. "You wouldn't do that."

"You sure about that?"

Bones grinned. "Yeah."

Jim smirked. "Alright. You win. I'm not on shore leave."

Bones took another bite and nodded slowly. "Can't be official Starfleet business, then, unless you're here to try and convince me to re-enlist..."

Jim pushed the noodles on his plate around. "You know I wouldn't do that to you."

Bones looked down at his plate. "Yeah, I know."

They finished their meal quietly, and Jim insisted on taking the plates up when they were done. Bones grabbed a beer for each of them, and they sat out on the back porch drinking and watching the sky.

"So tell me the real reason you're out here, Jim."

Jim took a drink and asked, "You don't think you're a good enough reason?"

Bones snorted. "Not good enough to make you walk away from your ship without having shore leave." He looked at Jim and said, "Don't look at me like that. I've always known you love your ship more than anything or anyone. I made my peace with it."

Jim swallowed. "What if I gave it up?"

Bones' eyebrows shot up. "What?"

Jim looked out at the field behind the house. "What if I transferred off of  _Enterprise_? What if I gave up being captain of a starship?"

"Why would you do that?"

Jim looked back at Bones, who looked thoroughly confused. "Maybe I wanted more."

Bones shook his head. "Only you could become the youngest captain in Starfleet history, first person ever to graduate from the academy in three years, be handed the goddamn  _flagship_ , and still not be satisfied."

"I  _was_ satisfied, Bones. I was  _happy_."

"So what changed?"

"My CMO."

Bones looked over suddenly, looking like Jim had just smacked him. " _What_? You're giving up everything you worked and fought for, because  _I left_?"

Jim shook his head, trying to figure out when the conversation had gotten away from him. "No, Bones, listen-"

"You can't just  _quit_ -"

"I didn't quit! Would you-"

"-goddamn personnel change, Jim, grow up-"

"I  _have_ grown up, that's why I-"

"-stupid, petty stunts, and I-"

"Marry me, Bones."

Bones sat there, mouth open, as his voice left him mid-rant. He kept staring at Jim for several seconds, then closed his mouth.

Jim ran a hand through his hair and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small black box.

"This really isn't how I imagined this starting." He chuckled softly, opening the box and looking at the ring inside it. "But..." He looked over at Bones, who had sucked his lips between his teeth and was looking at him through narrowed eyes. Jim slid off his seat and onto one knee, holding out the box with the ring. "Marry me, Bones. Please."

Bones was still not looking at the ring - his eyes were fixed on Jim's, so Jim stared right back, trying to exude the confidence and surety he'd always been known for.

Finally, Bones looked down at the ring, then back up at Jim, and asked, "Are you serious right now?"

Jim licked his lips, swallowed against his dry throat, and said, "I've never been more serious about anything."

Bones let out a breath, and closed his eyes. He leaned back in his chair, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. "Jim-"

"I love you."

Bones dropped his hand and smiled softly, looking at Jim again. "I love you, too."

"So what's keeping you from saying yes?"

Bones sighed. "One failed marriage already under my belt?"

"So we won't make the same mistakes."

"No, we'll make all new ones."

"But they'll be  _our mistakes_ , Bones. And they'll be mistakes  _we_ can fix."

Bones swallowed. "Answer me something first."

"Anything."

"Did you leave Starfleet?"

Jim kept his chin up, eyes on Bones, when he said, "No." Bones looked away and opened his mouth. "I transferred. There's a training facility opening in Marietta - I've been asked to work as one of the training specialists.. It's only forty-five minutes away - I've checked - and I wouldn't ever be gone more than a week at time, no more than six weeks a year."

Bones looked back up. "And you'd be satisfied with that?"

Jim grinned. "With coming home to you almost every single night? Absolutely."

Bones licked his lips, and looked down at the ring. Jim felt his knee beginning to complain about the weight and position, and just when he was about to shift about, Bones looked into his eyes and said, "Yes."

**Author's Note:**

> [ **Title from, "Every Night," by Imagine Dragons.** ]


End file.
